Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
OSCARS | EMMYS | GRAMMYS | TONYS
UPDATED: April 5, 2023
The Screen Actors Guild Awards, hosted by SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), is an annual award show that has become one of the most important and key indicators for the Oscars.
The nominations are chosen by two committees, one for film and one for television, each numbering 2,100 randomly selected members from the union each year. The entire SAG membership of over 165,000 votes for the winners.
Beginning with the 30th ceremony scheduled for 2024, the ceremony will stream live on Netflix globally, following a multi-year partnership.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Harry Shum Jr., Jenny Slate, Michelle Yeoh
Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Distributor: A24
Other nominees: “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures); “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures); “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures); “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Synopsis: A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” became the most awarded movie in SAG Awards history with four — ensemble, actress (Michelle Yeoh), supporting actor (Ke Huy Quan) and supporting actress (Jamie Lee Curtis) — all of which went on to win the Oscar in their respective categories.
In addition, “Everything Everywhere” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” tied the record for the most noms ever with five apiece, joining “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), “Chicago” (2002) and “Doubt” (2008). Losing all five of its categories, “Banshees” set the record for the most losses by a film.
Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan became the first Asian film winners in their respective categories.
A24 became the first studio to sweep all the televised awards for cast ensemble, actor, actress, supporting actor and supporting actress.
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CODA (2021)
Cast: Eugenio Derbez, Daniel Durant, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo
Director: Siân Heder
Distributor: Apple Original Films
Other nominees: “Belfast” (Focus Features), “Don’t Look Up” (Netflix), “House of Gucci” (MGM/United Artists Releasing), “King Richard” (Warner Bros)
Synopsis: As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music by wanting to go to Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.
Eventual Oscar winner: “CODA”
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “CODA” became the first movie with primarily a deaf cast to win the SAG Awards’ top prize.
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The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Distributor: Netflix
Other nominees: “Da 5 Bloods” (Netflix), “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Netflix), “Minari” (A24), “One Night in Miami” (Amazon Studios)
Synopsis: The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The four acting winners — Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) and Yuh-Jung Youn (“Minari”) — is the first time all four acting winners were POC. It’s also the first time both lead categories went to Black actors. In addition, it’s the third time both leading winners were from the same film after Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt for “As Good as It Gets” (1997) and Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening for “American Beauty” (1999).
Davis also became the first Black woman to win any of the SAG film categories more than once. She’s also the second person to win best actress twice after Frances McDormand (“Fargo” and “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”).
The fourth SAG winner for best cast ensemble to be nominated for best picture at the Oscars and failed to win a single statuette, following “American Hustle” (2013), “Hidden Figures” (2016) and “The Birdcage” (1996).
With his win for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Michael Keaton becomes the first actor to be part of three cast ensemble winning films along with “Birdman” (2014) and “Spotlight” (2015).
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Parasite (2019)
Cast: Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Jang Hye-jin, Jung Hyun-joon, Jung Ziso, Lee Jung-eun, Lee Sun-kyun, Park Myung-hoon, Park So-dam, Song Kang-ho
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Distributor: Neon
Other nominees: “Bombshell” (Lionsgate), “The Irishman” (Netflix), “Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood” (Sony Pictures)
Synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Parasite” (Neon)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Parasite” is the second non-English language film to be nominated for ensemble and the first to win the category. Bong Joon-ho is the first Asian director to helm a winner for cast ensemble. It’s the third movie to win cast ensemble and not be nominated in any other category after “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003) and “The Full Monty” (1997).
Emily Blunt won supporting actress for “A Quiet Place” and became the first female performance and second actor overall to win SAG and not receive an Oscar nomination. Eventual Oscar winner Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) was not SAG nominated.
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Black Panther (2018)
Cast: Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman, Sterling K. Brown, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Forest Whitaker, Letitia Wright
Director: Ryan Coogler
Distributor: Marvel Studios
Other nominees: “BlacKkKlansman” (Focus Features), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Paramount Pictures), “Crazy Rich Asians” (Warner Bros), “A Star is Born” (Warner Bros)
Synopsis: T’Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and confront a challenger from his country’s past.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Green Book” (Universal Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Black Panther” became the first superhero movie to win best cast ensemble. “Black Panther” also has the record for the most Black actors awarded in its cast with 10.
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Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Cast: Abbie Cornish, Peter Dinklage, Woody Harrelson, John Hawkes, Lucas Hedges, Željko Ivanek, Caleb Landry Jones, Frances McDormand, Clarke Peters, Sam Rockwell, Samara Weaving
Director: Martin McDonagh
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees: “The Big Sick” (Amazon Studios), “Get Out” (Universal Pictures), “Lady Bird” (A24), “Mudbound” (Netflix)
Synopsis: A mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder when they fail to catch the culprit.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The Shape of Water” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: Best actress winner Frances McDormand (“Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”) became the first person to win the category twice. Her first was for “Fargo” (1996).
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Hidden Figures (2016)
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Janelle Monáe, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell, Octavia Spencer
Director: Theodore Melfi
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Other nominees: “Captain Fantastic” (Bleecker Street), “Fences” (Paramount Pictures), “Manchester by the Sea” (Amazon Studios), “Moonlight” (A24)
Synopsis: A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Moonlight” (A24)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The third SAG winner for best cast ensemble to be nominated for best picture at the Oscars and failed to win a single statuette, after “American Hustle” (2013) and “The Birdcage” (1996).
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Spotlight (2015)
Cast: Billy Crudup, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
Director: Tom McCarthy
Distributor: Open Road Films
Other nominees: “Beasts of No Nation” (Netflix), “The Big Short” (Paramount Pictures), “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures), “Trumbo” (Bleecker Street)
Synopsis: The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Spotlight” (Open Road Films)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Beasts of No Nation” ties the record for smallest nominated cast with three, alongside “Million Dollar Baby” (2004). “Beasts” supporting actor winner Idris Elba, also became the first person to win SAG and fail to receive an Oscar nomination.
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Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees: “Boyhood” (IFC Films), “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “The Imitation Game” (The Weinstein Company), “The Theory of Everything” (Focus Features)
Synopsis: A washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Birdman” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Birdman” is the first film directed by a Latino filmmaker to win cast ensemble.
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American Hustle (2013)
Cast: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Louis C.K., Bradley Cooper, Jack Huston, Jennifer Lawrence, Alessandro Nivola, Michael Peña, Jeremy Renner, Elisabeth Röhm, Shea Whigham
Director: David O. Russell
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Other nominees: “12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “August: Osage County” (The Weinstein Company), “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (The Weinstein Company), “Dallas Buyers Club” (Focus Features)
Synopsis: A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.
Eventual Oscar winner: “12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The second SAG winner for best cast ensemble to be nominated for best picture at the Oscars and failed to win a single statuette (“Hustle” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards). The first was “The Birdcage” (1996).
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Argo (2012)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Denham, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Victor Garber, John Goodman, Scoot McNairy, Chris Messina
Director: Ben Affleck
Distributor: Warner Bros
Other nominees: “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “Les Misérables” (Universal Pictures), “Lincoln” (Touchstone Pictures), “Silver Linings Playbook” (The Weinstein Company)
Synopsis: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Argo” (Warner Bros)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The first SAG winner in history that had the director part of its winning cast.
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The Help (2011)
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Sissy Spacek, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Emma Stone, Cicely Tyson, Mike Vogel
Director: Tate Taylor
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Other nominees: “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company), “Bridesmaids” (Universal Pictures), “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “Midnight in Paris” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Synopsis: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids’ point of view on the white families for which they work and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The Artist” (The Weinstein Company)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: Viola Davis (“The Help”) became the second Black woman to win best actress. In addition to Davis’ co-star Octavia Spencer winning supporting actress, it was the first time two Black women won film prizes.
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The King’s Speech (2010)
Cast: Anthony Andrews, Helena Bonham Carter, Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, Geoffrey Rush, Timothy Spall
Director: Tom Hooper
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
Other nominees: “Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “The Fighter” (Paramount Pictures), “The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features), “The Social Network” (Sony Pictures)
Synopsis: The story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The second time all nominated films for cast ensemble translated to best picture nominees at the Oscars after 2001. It’s the first (and still only as of 2023) in the expanded best picture era (after 2009).
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Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Cast: Daniel Brühl, August Diehl, Julie Dreyfus, Michael Fassbender, Sylvester Groth, Jacky Ido, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, Denis Menochet, Mike Myers, Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Til Schweiger, Rod Taylor, Christoph Waltz, Martin Wuttke
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
Other nominees: “An Education” (Sony Pictures Classics), “The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment), “Nine” (The Weinstein Company), “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Synopsis: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment)
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Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Cast: Rubina Ali, Tanay Hemant Chheda, Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar, Madhur Mittal, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto
Director: Danny Boyle
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount Pictures), “Doubt” (Miramax Films), “Frost/Nixon” (Universal Pictures), “Milk” (Focus Features)
Synopsis: A Mumbai teenager reflects on his life after being accused of cheating on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
Eventual Oscar winner: “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Slumdog Millionaire” currently holds the record (as of 2023) for the most Asian actors awarded as part of its cast with 11, followed by “Parasite” (2019) with 10.
Kate Winslet won best supporting actress for “The Reader” but was nominated and won best actress at the Academy Awards. She became the second performer to win both SAG and Oscars in two separate categories. The first was Benicio del Toro for “Traffic” (2000).
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No Country for Old Men (2007)
Cast: Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Kelly Macdonald
Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Distributor: Miramax
Other nominees: “3:10 to Yuma” (Lionsgate), “American Gangster” (Universal Pictures), “Hairspray” (New Line Cinema), “Into the Wild” (Paramount Vantage)
Synopsis: Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and more than two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.
Eventual Oscar winner: “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: With only “No Country for Old Men,” it’s the first (and as of 2023, the only) cast ensemble lineup to only have one Oscar nominee for best picture.
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Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Cast: Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear
Director: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees: “Babel” (Paramount Vantage), “Bobby” (Metro-Goldwyn Mayer), “The Departed” (Warner Bros), “Dreamgirls” (Paramount Pictures)
Synopsis: A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The Departed” (Warner Bros)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Little Miss Sunshine” is the first film by two directors to win cast ensemble. It’s also the first (and as of 2022 only) film to be directed by a woman to win cast ensemble.
Marked the first time three Black actors won film awards — Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland”), Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson (“Dreamgirls”).
“Bobby” holds the record for the largest cast ever nominated with 24 credited actors.
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Crash (2005)
Cast: Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, Larenz Tate
Director: Paul Haggis
Distributor: Lionsgate
Other nominees: “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features), “Capote” (Sony Pictures Classics), “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures), “Hustle & Flow” (Paramount Pictures)
Synopsis: Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Crash” (Lionsgate)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: Ziyi Zhang from “Memoirs of a Geisha” became the first Asian nominated for best actress. She did not receive an Oscar nomination.
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Sideways (2004)
Cast: Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh
Director: Alexander Payne
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees*: “The Aviator” (Warner Bros), “Finding Neverland” (Miramax), “Hotel Rwanda” (MGM Distribution Co), “Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros), “Ray” (Universal Pictures)
Synopsis: Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment embark on a week-long road trip through California’s wine country just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Sideways” holds the record for the smallest winning cast with four.
The first time the cast ensemble lineup recognized six films due to a tie. “Million Dollar Baby” set the record for the smallest nominated cast nominated with three.
Catalina Sandino Moreno became the second Latina nominated for best actress after Salma Hayek for “Frida” (2002). She’s also the first lead actress recognized for a non-English language performance.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Cast: Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Bernard Hill, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Noble, Miranda Otto, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Elijah Wood
Director: Peter Jackson
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Other nominees: “In America” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “Mystic River” (Warner Bros), “Seabiscuit” (Fox Searchlight Pictures), “The Station Agent” (Miramax)
Synopsis: Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (New Line Cinema)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” becomes the second movie to win cast ensemble after “The Full Monty” (1997).
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Chicago (2002)
Cast: Christine Baranski, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, Taye Diggs, Denise Faye, Colm Feore, Richard Gere, Deidre Goodwin, Queen Latifah, Lucy Liu, Susan Misner, Mýa, John C. Reilly, Dominic West, Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Director: Rob Marshall
Distributor: Miramax
Other nominees: “Adaptation.” (Sony Pictures), “The Hours” (Paramount Pictures), “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (New Line Cinema), “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (IFC Films)
Synopsis: Two death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer’s attention.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Chicago” (Miramax)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Chicago” becomes the first (as of 2023, the only) musical to win cast ensemble.
Salma Hayek became the first Latina to be nominated for best actress for her performance in “Frida.”
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Gosford Park (2001)
Cast: Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hollander, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Maggie Smith, Geraldine Somerville, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sophie Thompson, Emily Watson, James Wilby
Director: Robert Altman
Distributor: USA Films
Other nominees: “A Beautiful Mind” (Universal Pictures), “In the Bedroom” (Miramax), “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (New Line Cinema), “Moulin Rouge!” (20th Century Fox)
Synopsis: Set in the 1930s, this movie brings a group of pretentious rich, and famous together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.
Eventual Oscar winner: “A Beautiful Mind” (Universal Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The first time the five movies nominated for cast ensemble matched the Academy Award nominees for best picture. “Gosford Park” has the largest cast to ever win cast ensemble with 20.
Halle Berry became the second Black woman nominated for lead actress for “Monster’s Ball,” and the first Black woman to win the prize. She went on to become the first Black woman to win the Oscar in the same category.
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Traffic (2000)
Cast: Steven Bauer, Benjamin Bratt, James Brolin, Don Cheadle, Erika Christensen, Clifton Collins Jr., Michael Douglas, Miguel Ferrer, Albert Finney, Topher Grace, Luis Guzmán, Amy Irving, Tomas Milian, D. W. Moffett, Dennis Quaid, Peter Riegert, Benicio del Toro, Jacob Vargas, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Distributor: USA Films
Other nominees: “Almost Famous” (DreamWorks Pictures), “Billy Elliot” (Universal International Pictures), “Chocolat” (Miramax), “Gladiator” (DreamWorks Pictures)
Synopsis: A conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America’s escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is a crack addict. Two DEA agents protect an informant. A jailed drug baron’s wife attempts to carry on the family business.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Gladiator” (DreamWorks Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: Benicio del Toro won best actor for “Traffic” but was nominated and eventually won best supporting actor at the Oscars, becoming the first performer to win both awards in separate categories.
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American Beauty (1999)
Cast: Annette Bening, Wes Bentley, Thora Birch, Chris Cooper, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Kevin Spacey, Mena Suvari
Director: Sam Mendes
Distributor: DreamWorks Pictures
Other nominees: “Being John Malkovich” (USA Films), “The Cider House Rules” (Miramax), “The Green Mile” (Warner Bros), “Magnolia” (New Line Cinema)
Synopsis: A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s best friend.
Eventual Oscar winner: “American Beauty” (DreamWorks Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “American Beauty” is the first (as of 2023 the only movie) to win cast ensemble and the two leading prizes for Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening. It’s the second time in SAG history the two leading winners were from the same film after Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt for “As Good as It Gets” (1997).
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Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Simon Callow, Jim Carter, Martin Clunes, Judi Dench, Joseph Fiennes, Colin Firth, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Antony Sher, Imelda Staunton, Tom Wilkinson
Director: John Madden
Distributor: Miramax
Other nominees: “Life is Beautiful” (Miramax), “Little Voice” (Miramax), “Saving Private Ryan” (DreamWorks Pictures), “Waking Ned” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Synopsis: The world’s greatest-ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas, and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Shakespeare in Love” (Miramax)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “Shakespeare in Love” became the first (as of 2023, the only) film to receive a nomination in all four acting categories for Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush and Judi Dench.
“Life is Beautiful” is the first non-English language film nominated for cast ensemble.
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The Full Monty (1997)
Cast: Mark Addy, Paul Barber, Robert Carlyle, Deirdre Costello, Steve Huison, Bruce Jones, Lesley Sharp, William Snape, Hugo Speer, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Woof
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other nominees: “Boogie Nights” (New Line Cinema), “Good Will Hunting” (Miramax), “L.A. Confidential” (Warner Bros), “Titanic” (20th Century Fox/Paramount Pictures)
Synopsis: Six unemployed steel workers form a male striptease act. The women cheer them on to go for “the full monty” – total nudity.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Titanic” (20th Century Fox/Paramount Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “The Full Monty” became the first film to win cast ensemble without receiving a nomination in any other category.
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt became the first lead acting winners to come from the same movie, “As Good as It Gets.”
The SAG best actress lineup had six nominees for the first time, due to a tie — Hunt, Helena Bonham Carter (“The Wings of the Dove”), Judi Dench (“Mrs. Brown”), Pam Grier (“Jackie Brown”), Kate Winslet (“Titanic”) and Robin Wright (“She’s So Lovely”).
Grier became the first Black woman nominated for lead actress. However, she did not receive an Oscar nomination.
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The Birdcage (1996)
Cast: Hank Azaria, Christine Baranski, Dan Futterman, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Robin Williams
Director: Mike Nichols
Distributor: MGM/United Artists
Other nominees: “The English Patient” (Miramax), “Marvin’s Room” (Miramax), “Shine” (Fine Line Features), “Sling Blade” (Miramax)
Synopsis: A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée’s right-wing moralistic parents.
Eventual Oscar winner: “The English Patient” (Miramax)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: “The Birdcage” is the first film (and as of 2023, the only) to win cast ensemble without being nominated for best picture. Furthermore, it’s also the least nominated SAG winner at the Oscars with one for costume design.
SAG nominee for best actor Billy Bob Thornton (“Sling Blade”) is the first person to receive an acting nomination for a movie he also wrote and directed.
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Apollo 13 (1995)
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kathleen Quinlan, Gary Sinise
Director: Ron Howard
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Other nominees: “Get Shorty” (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), “How to Make an American Quilt” (Universal Pictures), “Nixon” (Buena Vista Pictures), “Sense and Sensibility” (Sony Pictures)
Synopsis: NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.
Eventual Oscar winner: “Braveheart” (Paramount Pictures)
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: Jocelyn Moorhouse is the first woman to direct a film nominated for cast ensemble with “How to Make an American Quilt.”
Ang Lee is the first Asian person to direct a film nominated for cast ensemble.
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Category Not Active in 1994
The inaugural Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony did not have the category for best cast ensemble. However, they did have the television equivalent of the category for drama and comedy series.
Notable facts and superlatives from the ceremony: The first-ever SAG ceremony aired on NBC from Stage 12 at Universal Studios in Hollywood. The acting winners were Tom Hanks (“Forrest Gump”), Jodie Foster (“Nell”), Martin Landau (“Ed Wood”) and Dianne Wiest (“Bullets over Broadway”). Only Foster failed to go on to win the Academy Award.
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SAG Notable Facts and Figures
- Thirteen winners for best cast ensemble have won the Oscar for best picture.
- Four films have won the Oscar for best picture without being nominated for cast ensemble: “Braveheart” (1995), “The Shape of Water” (2017), “Green Book” (2018) and “Nomadland” (2020).
- Only one film has won cast ensemble without being nominated for best picture: MGM/UAR’s “The Birdcage” (1996)
- 11 women have directed films nominated for cast ensemble: Jocelyn Moorhouse (“How to Make an American Quilt”), Valerie Faris (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), Lone Scherfig (“An Education”), Lisa Cholodenko (“The Kids Are All Right”), Dee Rees (“Mudbound”), Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), Regina King (“One Night in Miami”), Siân Heder (“CODA”) and Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”). None have done it a second time. Faris and Heder are the only winners to date.
- The directors whose movies have been nominated for cast ensemble the most: Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Peter Jackson, David O. Russell, Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott’s films have been nominated three times.
- No director has helmed a SAG ensemble winner more than once.
- The record for the most nominations for cast ensemble solely is Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt with seven each.
- The studio that has won the most cast ensemble prizes – Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures) with six: “The Full Monty” (1997), “Sideways” (2004), “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006), “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “Birdman” (2014) and “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017)
- A24 is the only studio to win five film awards in one year: 2022 with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and its actors Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, and Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”).
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once” holds the record for the most wins with four — cast ensemble, actress, supporting actor and supporting actress.
- Five movies have received the most SAG Award nominations in one year, with five apiece: “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), “Chicago” (2002), “Doubt” (2008), “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” “Banshees” is the only film not to win any of its categories.
- The studio with the most nominations for cast ensemble: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures) with 16.
- Two studios have had the most films nominated for cast ensemble in a single year – Netflix in 2020 (“Da 5 Bloods,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7”) and Miramax has done it twice: in 1996 (“The English Patient,” “Marvin’s Room” and “Sling Blade”) and 1998 (“Life is Beautiful,” “Little Voice” and “Shakespeare in Love”). 1996 is the only year that all three of its nominees lost, coincidentally, to a film that wasn’t nominated for best picture, “The Birdcage.”